


eye of the storm

by OnyxSphynx



Series: newmann one-shots [102]
Category: Pacific Rim (Movies)
Genre: Getting Together, Hijinks & Shenanigans, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-05
Updated: 2019-10-05
Packaged: 2020-11-24 03:40:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 930
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20901050
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OnyxSphynx/pseuds/OnyxSphynx
Summary: yes, the world's going to hell, but humans are still human, and, in moments of peace, prone to shenanigans





	eye of the storm

**Author's Note:**

> anon asked: "Prompt: For my birthday this year I got the man of my dreams and my friends got arrested on kidnapping charges. No, wait. Maybe I should tell those stories separately."

One would think that working to stall the end of the world by the jaws of giant aliens coming out of the Pacific would be a fairly stressful, eventful job, and generally one would be quite correct; Hermann spends much of his time frantically calculating equations and predictions in an attempt to put off the inevitable for just a bit longer.

Other times, though—times like these, things slow; a lull in kaiju attacks leads to the shatterdome falling quiet as its inhabitants wait with baited breath for the next one—a sort of nervous tension descending. Usually, it leads to tensions running high—understandably, everyone is a tad bit on edge; and who _wouldn’t_ be?

Occasionally, it leads to something else: tired and running on fumes, the people of the Hong Kong shatterdome get a bit…_out of hand._

Case in point: one Newton Geiszler, of too many PhDs, and, despite all conflicts, both Hermann’s labmate and, though he would never admit it, dearest, closest friend.

Currently, he’s babbling away some rubbish about kaiju skin lice into his handheld recorder, seeming, for all the world, to be functioning the same as he does all other days—but Hermann can sense, just beneath the facade, the telltale hum of a manic-depressive episode; Newton needs constant stimulation, and it’s been months since he’s had any new samples.

“Hey, Herms,” he calls, suddenly, “wanna go out?”

“Do I _what?_” Hermann chokes, and nearly topples off of his ladder, sleeve wiping away a few lines of writing (nothing important, thankfully).

“Out,” Newton repeats, “you know, for like, a walk? A breath of fresh air? What did you _think_ I meant?”

“…nothing,” Hermann mutters. “Yes—perhaps that would be a good idea.” _You look ready to die of boredom,_ he doesn’t say; let Newton think they’re doing this for a breath of fresh air, rather than because Hermann is _worried_ for him and thinks it might provide a distraction.

Newton beams. “Great! Meet me in LOCCENT in ten.”

* * *

In hindsight, he should’ve seen it coming; at the time, though, he’d walked into LOCCENT to find Newton standing by Tendo’s side, wearing that terrible coat of his (that Hermann may or may not appreciate just a _bit_ more than he lets on, but if he _does,_ no one will ever know).

“Her_-mann,_” greets Tendo, flashing an easy grin. “Heard you guys were going out to town for a bit—mind if I tag along?”

“Er,” Hermann says, and looks to Newt, who nods enthusiastically. “Yes, alright—”

And that’s as far as he gets, because there’s a loud commotion, and then heavy Russian cussing. Tendo winces. “Sasha and Aleksis’ cat’s been running around in here and they keep trying to get her,” he explains apologetically.

Hermann raises a brow but doesn’t comment. “You’re not wearing a jacket,” he says instead, “it’s _rather_ cold outside.”

Tendo grins. “Yeah, I know—Raleigh’s going to lend me his; it’s nice and thick; he should be here in—ah!” he exclaims, “there he is!”

Beckett appears by their sides a moment later, lips thin, and hands the J-tech chief a thick winter coat. “Tendo,” he says, “what the heck is a _cat_ doing in LOCCENT? Actually, nevermind,” he says, holding up a hand, “I don’t want to know. Uh—can I come with?”

“Yes, why don’t you invite the entire circus, too,” Hermann mutters sarcastically, and then wheezes when Newton jabs him in the ribs, grips his cane as he bends over.

“Be _nice,_” the biologist chastises, and turns to the ranger. “Sure, man.” That settled, they soon set out.

It ends…interestingly.

Well—it ends interestingly for _some;_ Tendo and Beckett get into a bit of a scuffle that leads to a bit of a misunderstanding, and, well, everything spirals from there; ends with Newton and him trailing after a police car in a taxi to the police station to explain that, no, Tendo and Beckett were _not_ trying to kidnap a child.

Eventually, though, it gets sorted out; Tendo, apologising over his shoulder, bundles a traumatised Beckett into a black cab, leaving the physicist and the biologist alone.

“Well that was…eventful,” Newton says, after the cab disappears into traffic.

“_Quite,_” Hermann agrees.

They stand there, for a moment, bathed in the neons, and then Newton clears his throat. “Uh…”

“Yes?” Hermann asks, and then, “if it has _anything_ to do with kaiju, I swear—”

“It doesn’t!” Newton exclaims. “I was—ugh,” he groans, “why is this so fucking _hard?_ Look, man, I think you’re chill, and I’d like to go out with you.”

“We just _did,_” Hermann says, ignoring the implications, because there is no _way_ that _that_ is what Newton means; doesn’t want to assume anything and then have the reality hit him square in the jaw and leave a bright bruise on his heart; couldn’t bear it.

“_Out_ out,” Newt snaps, “like, date out. There, I said it.” Hermann gapes at him for a moment. “What?” Newton says, “is it—okay, this is, uh, probably not the best time, but, like, Herms, man, I’m highkey into you.”

“You’re _what?_” Hermann says, and feels a bit like a broken record; his mind seems stalled.

“Yeah, man,” Newt says, “I’m kinda surprised you didn’t know, actually, since, like, everyone _else_ seems to.”

“No,” Hermann says, a tad bit weakly, “I did _not_ know.”

The silence stretches, and then Newton, voice high, says, “So, like, not to rush you, but—”

“I’d love it,” Hermann cuts in, and inadvertently grins.

“Oh,” Newton says, and beams back, “oh, cool.”

**Author's Note:**

> you can find me at [harrowwharks](https://harrowwharks.tumblr.com/) on tumblr


End file.
